


Hands Clean

by feministdean



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Co-workers, Deaf Castiel, Disability, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-24
Updated: 2016-11-24
Packaged: 2018-09-01 21:48:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8639497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/feministdean/pseuds/feministdean
Summary: Castiel starts losing his hearing at twenty. It takes three more years for him to transition to hearing aids and become proficient at American Sign Language. Despite all of his little safeguards around his apartment to help him, he wakes up late on Monday morning. Castiel rushes to work and when he's finally in the elevator, he realizes he's forgotten his hearing aids.When he finds himself stuck in the elevator with a guy named Dean who starts to mime in replace of sign language, he doesn't know what to make of it. It would be weird if the guy wasn't so funny and cute.





	

Castiel began losing his hearing at twenty.

When he and his mother made an appointment with an audiologist and were told he inherited otosclerosis, he waited until the inevitable. Castiel learned American Sign Language as his hearing slowly deteriorated. He fully transitioned to hearing aids three years later.

While he supposed it should have been more traumatizing, he was more or less comfortable with his disability when he lost all hearing in his left ear and most in his right. In fact, when he graduated from Illinois State University with his master’s, he was more than ready to move out of the small Midwestern life his parents boxed him in.

Although he knew they were only worried, he immediately took a job offer in New York City.

Castiel built numerous safeguards around his small apartment that helped him live alone and let him forgo his hearing aids every now and again. He remembered sending his mother a picture of himself every night when he went to bed for a year because she was so worried about him. Now, four years later, Castiel could spend an evening without worrying about her.

He lounged on his couch in the living room as he ate Thai takeout and watched Last Week Tonight with John Oliver that Sunday night, periodically checking his phone for Hannah’s texts. She was currently stressing out about the quarterly report meeting tomorrow morning.

 _11:24PM, March 2_  
_From: Hannah Adams_  
_To: Castiel Novak_  
_\--I checked my reports five times before I left and they were the same each time. I’m still nervous that Zachariah will find an error._

Castiel yawned as he read the text, eyes glazing over. He put his empty plate on the coffee table before he replied.

 _11:26PM, March 2_  
_From: Castiel Novak_  
_To: Hannah Adams_  
_\--I’m positive everything will be fine, especially if you went over it five times. You’re great at your job. The meeting will be fine and we can get lunch afterward._

Castiel watched as gray bubbles popped up a few moments after his text message sent.

 _11:27PM, March 2_  
_From: Hannah Adams_  
_To: Castiel Novak_  
_\--You’re right. I’m going to bed now. I’ll bring your coffee to the meeting. Goodnight, Castiel._

Castiel smiled at the text. Hannah had been one of the few people in the office that already knew ASL when he took the job and because of it, he stayed by her side for the first few weeks. They became friends due to their mutual love of nature and dry humor.

 _11:28PM, March 2_  
_From: Castiel Novak_  
_To: Hannah Adams_  
_\--Thank you and goodnight. Sleep well :-)_

Castiel sat his phone down and let his eyes trail back to the program. He yawned again as he pulled the afghan from the top of the couch onto his body, promising himself he’d go to bed when it was over.

He woke up to the golden rays of sun shining through the curtains the next morning instead. Castiel’s eyes widened as panic rushed through him. He sat up and grabbed his phone to check the time. 8:37AM.

Castiel stood up from the couch and ran into his bedroom, cursing under his breath. He pulled off his clothes and grabbed the nearest button-down and slacks. Castiel picked his tie from the day before off his bedroom door knob then ran into his bathroom. He brushed his teeth as quickly as he could and let his toothbrush hang in his mouth as he slid his deodorant on, a constant stream of curse words filling his mind.

Although he headed out of his apartment ten minutes later as he pulled his trench coat on, he still only had less than ten minutes to get from twenty-third street to fourteenth street. Castiel apologized profusely to everyone he bumped into as he ran. When he came closer to the building, he smiled softly in relief as he caught his breath.

Well, he did, until a man ran into him and he suddenly felt hot liquid seep onto his dress shirt.

Castiel looked to his left to see a handsome dark-haired man yelling at him. His eyes widened as the man gestured wildly and seemed to get angrier the longer he didn’t respond.

“I’m deaf,” Castiel said, putting his index finger near his ear then to his mouth. “I’m so sorry. I can-”

The man rolled his eyes and flipped him off before walking back down the street. Castiel looked down at his stained white shirt then touched his ears, promptly realizing that he forgot his hearing aids. It made sense that he couldn’t hear the man, then. Castiel hadn’t been without his hearing aids in public in years.

He’d be fine without them until his lunch break. At least, he hoped he’d be.

Castiel took a deep breath, readjusted his bag strap, and walked into the building. He ignored the worried looks from a few people as he walked to the elevator, thankful it was already open. Castiel pressed the ‘six’ button then looked from the numbers, making eye contact with the other passenger.

He was sure that his heart stopped then.

The man had dark blond hair, piercing green eyes, and Castiel hadn’t seen anyone so attractive in years. He broke eye contact when the man smiled. Castiel’s cheeks reddened in embarrassment and he returned it then walked to the other side of the elevator.

Of course, the day that he shared a short elevator ride with an attractive man would be the same day that he haphazardly got ready in ten minutes, forgot his hearing aids, and had coffee spilled on him. Of course.

Castiel slowly reached up to his hair and smoothed it down, hoping he looked better than he currently felt. He wanted to look good for the cute guy in the striped dress shirt and red tie, after all. Castiel moved to his black tote bag and began trying to find a napkin to blot his dress shirt when the elevator jolted. He looked at the numbers on top of the elevator and noticed the lights were out. Castiel glanced over at the man and watched as he pressed the ‘doors open’ button. Nothing happened.

The man’s brows furrowed as he looked at the elevator doors then to Castiel. His lips started moving and Castiel couldn’t understand a word. He always had trouble with lip-reading.

“I’m deaf,” Castiel pressed his index finger near his ear then to his chin. “I’m sorry I can’t hear you. I don’t have my hearing aids in today. It seems that the elevator is broken.”

The other man’s eyes widened for a moment and Castiel felt a bit guilty for thinking the sudden shift in his demeanor was cute. The other man nodded then unzipped his own tote bag, searching for something. Guilt washed over him for watching the other man until he looked up from his tote bag and mimed writing on paper.

Castiel briefly checked his own tote bag and when he didn’t find some paper or a pen, looked up then shook his head. The other man frowned. Castiel felt anxious. He should have remembered his hearing aids. “I’m sorry.”

The other man waved him off then pressed the ‘help’ button. Castiel watched as his lips moved for a few moments then stopped to lean against the railing. The other man glanced back at him, putting three fingers up on his right hand and making a circle on his left.

Castiel’s brows furrowed. “Thirty minutes?”

The other man nodded. Castiel pursed his lips and really wished that this hadn’t happened today of all days. But it did and he’d just have to deal with it.

Although the communication was iffy at best, the other man started a conversation five minutes later. It started with him over-pronouncing which Castiel immediately shut down.

“I can’t read lips,” Castiel said. “I’m sorry.”

The other man frowned for a few seconds before he pointed to himself with focused eyes. Castiel hesitantly nodded then watched as the other man started drawing letters in the air with his finger. ‘D’, ‘E’, ‘A’, ‘N’. The other man pointed to himself again.

“Dean?” Castiel’s brows furrowed again. The other man, Dean, nodded with a smile then pointed at him. “My name’s Castiel.”

Castiel watched as Dean repeated the name softly, eyes trailing to his lips. Dean’s lips were pink, smooth, and round as if he regularly used a lip plumper. Something he only realized existed when he saw a tube in Anna’s bathroom and the name ‘Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Pillow Plump XXL’ intrigued him. Anna gave him a seven minute speech about the benefits of lip plumpers that afternoon. But he doubted that Dean used such a thing and his thoughts were cut off when Dean waved his hand in front of him.

Dean looked at him and pursed his lips as if he was trying to contain a smile. He pointed at Castiel’s shirt and mimed dropping coffee over himself even including a panicked expression as he did.

Castiel smiled in amusement then shook his head. “No, someone ran into me while I was coming here. Well, we ran into each other. I woke up late and ran here and I wasn’t watching where I was going which is also why I forgot my hearing aids,” he watched as Dean nodded. “So, I’m assuming you work here as well?”

Dean nodded and started miming - something. Castiel watched as Dean smiled and began doing the same four movements.

“Accounting?” Dean shook his head and began doing another movement. “Marketing?” Castiel felt silly when a pride of joy filled his chest. He watched Dean pointed down. “Are you in the marketing team here? For Adler & Sons?” Dean nodded and smiled. “I didn’t know that. Well, I’m an accountant for them. I’m surprised we haven’t met each other before.”

Castiel watched as Dean’s lips moved and when he made out ‘me too’, his heart raced in his chest.

One of the amusing things about Dean was the miming as his means of communication. At first, Castiel was going to suggest trading numbers and texting but after watching the other make wide gestures and expressive faces, he let the thought slip into the back of his mind. Dean mimed everything they talked about and Castiel hadn’t seen such a thing.

He was used to people over-pronouncing their words, trying to make up sign, or just pulling up the notes app on their iPhone so they could communicate that way. Although it was weird, it was funny, creative and, well, cute. Castiel had never met someone so bent on communicating with him.

While their communication was slow and awkward at times, they’re on a stilted conversation on Kurt Vonnegut's ‘Cat’s Cradle’ when Dean looked at the speaker again. Castiel followed Dean’s gaze and watched as Dean talked, a smile forming on the other man’s lips.

“Are they coming?”

Dean looked at Castiel, his eyes bright as a smile formed again, and nodded.

Although Castiel didn’t want to admit it, he was somewhat upset when three firefighters came to their rescue ten minutes later. Two of them helped Dean out first and Castiel took in the handful of bystanders surrounding the elevator a couple feet away when he got out.

He watched as a firefighter talked to Dean then turned his attention on the firefighter trying to communicate to him. It took only a few seconds to explain his deafness and he was more than a little relieved when the man started signing.

Castiel spoke to the firefighter for a few minutes and glanced around to find Dean when he was finished, finally seeing him on his phone standing next to one of the many phone booths in the building that hadn’t worked in years. Castiel tightened his grip on his tote bag and walked over.

Dean looked up and smiled. Castiel felt his heartbeat in his ears because of it. “So, it seems that everything is fine and we can use the elevator a few hallways down.”

Castiel watched as Dean nodded then pushed off the wall, sliding his phone into his pocket. They walked in silence to the other elevator and when they reached it, Dean took out his phone again. Castiel watched as Dean bit his bottom lip as he pressed the ‘up’ button. He didn’t say anything until Dean pointed at it then to him.

“Do you want to trade numbers?” Castiel asked. He felt his legs go numb when Dean nodded. “Okay, I’d love to.” Castiel hadn’t remembered the last time he traded numbers with a cute guy. He took Dean’s phone and added his number as a contact then watched as he texted frantically as the elevator doors opened. “I hope this elevator works.”

Dean glanced at his phone then to Castiel as he walked in and nodded. Castiel grabbed his phone from his pocket when he felt it vibrate, smiling softly at the recent text message.

 _9:45AM, March 3_  
_To: Castiel Novak_  
_From: Unknown_  
_\--Hey, Cas!_

Castiel glanced at Dean, chuckling, then looked back at the text message.

 _9:47AM, March 3_  
_To: Unknown_  
_From: Castiel Novak_  
_\--Hello, Dean._

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, friends! I hope you enjoyed and comments/kudos are always appreciated. You can also find me on tumblr [here.](http://ultravioletcastiel.tumblr.com/)


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